A translation - but not a quick one. Tracking the family history...

[seeker]

Have tried my Chinese Association in my home town here but no luck, no reply Was hoping to get a translation for the text on the back of a family photo. It would really help if someone could let me know what it says. Put this here because it was too long for the short translation section...

Alternatively if you could point me somewhere else I could go to get some help I would really appreciate it! Follow the link below to see the picture...

Its also attached to this message.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31651072@N05/3254657613/

[gato]

Here's what I could figure out:

It's a letter written by someone named to Zhong Mingzhi to someone he refers to a younger brother. It's also possible it's a younger close friend. The letter is dated in the year '22, which might be 1922 or 1933 (the 22nd year of the founding of the Republic of China). The author appears to be someone named Zhong Mingzhi (not entirely sure). He mentions that he had a foot problem mis-diagnosed by a doctor trained in Western medicine. The surgery he had made the problem worse, leading him to be bed-ridden for a year and half. He also mentions someone (maybe his son) attending elementary school, not working very hard, but getting good grades nevertheless.

[vampire]

It's more like a biography of someone called zhongming/中明, who died at the age of 12, first got foot problem then an unsuccessful western sugary made it worse, and after one year and a half in bed, he also got some kind of pulmonary disease

below is the article in your photo

嗟呼吾弟!年十二即捨我而去,豈不悲哉!昔者共相嘻戲,同讀張(垣?),(分校?)青島,身相離而神相結也,甫入學即以聰慧聞,再進鐵路小學,雖不甚用功,亦穩佔前茅,且得優等獎狀焉,奈天不佑人,致罹足疾;誤信西醫,取骨開刀,復原乏術,展轉床第達一年有半,身既孱弱致染癆瘵,遂即不復能治矣!嗚呼吾弟!汝天聰卓絕,予不逮萬一,而竟如斯!豈造物者無微毫憐恤之念耶?抑吾國之無福消受能人耶?嗟呼吾弟! 中明誌 廿二年

[gato]

Oops.

Was this biography written by Zhongming's brother then? Seems like he passed away when he was 12.

Edited February 5, 2009 at 03:01 PM by gato

[vampire]

perhaps a very close friend, the writer mentioned they played together in the past but somehow separated later, if they were brothers they would always live together

[gato]

the writer mentioned they played together in the past but somehow separated later

Are you referring to "年十二即捨我而去"? I took that perhaps to mean the kid died at the age of 12....which is why it was followed by 豈不悲哉. Is that incorrect?

[skylee]

The piece was written by Zhongming about his younger brother who died of TB at the age of 12.

[skylee]

my translation -

Alas, my younger brother was 12 when he left me. It was so sad. We used to play together, and we studied together in Zhangjiakou. Then he went to school in Qingdao. Despite the separation we remained connected. He was known for his quick-wit since he started school. He then went to the Tielu (Railway) Primary School. He was not very hardworking but he still got good grades and a certificate of merit. But his good fortune did not last. He got a foot problem and he trusted Western medicine and had a surgury. He never recovered and was bed-ridden for one year and a half. He got so weak that he contracted tubercolosis, and it was not curable. My younger brother was so bright but had such ill luck. The gods had no mercy for him. Or perhaps it was our country that was not able to hold such talent. How I miss my younger brother. Zhongming. 22nd year.

[seeker]

Thank you so very much for your translation - the writing looks like my Grandfather's handwriting, he was known as Chung Ming. He would probably be known as Zhongming if you translated it these days (at least I think that this is the case). The 1933 date fits - will have to check with my uncles, its likely he would have dated things as per the founding of the Republic of China.

This is the other side of the photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31651072@N05/3257800626/

I believe the photo is taken with one grandmother on either side.

I have a few more - not nearly as long - do you know what this one says?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31651072@N05/3257818380/

[skylee]

In Hong Kong, where Cantonese is spoken, the name is normally romanised as Chung Ming.

The words in the second photo mean "September, 19th year of the Republic of China".

[seeker]

Thanks so much!

I have some more - does anyone have time to check them out for me?

1. http://www.flickr.com/photos/31651072@N05/3258280511/

2. http://www.flickr.com/photos/31651072@N05/3258311095/

3. http://www.flickr.com/photos/31651072@N05/3258329627/

4. http://www.flickr.com/photos/31651072@N05/3258341389/

My grandfather has quite a collection and a tendency to write in classical chinese it seems...

Do you think it would be a better idea to organize them all and start a new post?

[skylee]

1. 9th September, 36th year of the Republic, taken in Jilin Province
   
2. 英雄獨翔 1/200 下 8 yg - hero flying alone
   
3. 十年一覺申江夢 白雲千載空悠悠 - ten years in Shenjiang (Shanghai) in a dream, a thousand years with white clouds in the void
   
4. For cousin Chung Ming as keepsake. From Liang Guozhang.
   

[seeker]

Have a few more...

1. http://www.flickr.com/photos/31651072@N05/3259968034/

2. http://www.flickr.com/photos/31651072@N05/3259973310/

3. http://www.flickr.com/photos/31651072@N05/3259973954/

4. http://www.flickr.com/photos/31651072@N05/3259144207/

5. http://www.flickr.com/photos/31651072@N05/3259977324/

6. http://www.flickr.com/photos/31651072@N05/3259146603/

7. http://www.flickr.com/photos/31651072@N05/3259978966/

8. http://www.flickr.com/photos/31651072@N05/3259148813/

[skylee]

1. The front of the library

2. Geology Building of Beijing University

3. Date of photo - Summer 1934; Background - Waitan (the Bund) Park, Shanghai; Age - 20.

4. Kangcheng (Hong Shing in Cantonese) next to the peach blossoms in the sitting room, taken after he had come back on a plane.

5. Provincial Tai Chung Normal School, Tai Chung, Taiwan, China

[Lu]

In Hong Kong, where Cantonese is spoken, the name is normally romanised as Chung Ming.

In Wade-Giles romanisation, which was in use in 1933, it would also be Chung Ming.

Tai Chung/Taichung is also known as Taizhong.

[seeker]

Thanks! Im afraid my grandfather too a lot of photos...

Does anyone know what these ones say?

6. http://www.flickr.com/photos/31651072@N05/3259146603/

7. http://www.flickr.com/photos/31651072@N05/3259978966/

8. http://www.flickr.com/photos/31651072@N05/3259148813/

Are they written in classical chinese? Just wondering as someone has told me that this form can be difficult to translate...

Thanks in advance - everyone here has been very helpful!

[melop]

Yes - like other literate Chinese people in the early 20th century, it seems your grandpa wrote mainly in Classical Chinese.

Nevertheless, understand this form is not very difficult, but deciphering his handwriting could be a challenge.

Here is my try:

6. 萬念俱灰，還我真元 All desires fade, return the zhenyuan(Essence, Spirit, Soul) to me.

虔心蹬(?)足，徹悟空明 To step the feet faithfully(To climb the moutain faithfully?), to understand the void and clarity.

—— 中明 Chungming

7. 風凌渡頭，落日圓 The wind approaches the ferry wharf, the sinking sun is rounded.

伴落日(?) Accompanying the sun.

8. 给 真姊留念 Give to elder sister Zhen as commemoration

陶(?)美 敬赠 Respectfully awarded by Tao(?) Mei

一九四一.四.二 Apr. 2nd, 1941

[seeker]

Thanks so much for that - everyone here has been helpful. Its solving a few family mysteries. With the turmoil from the 1930s to 1947 we do not know what happened to some of our family. I think my Grandfather in particular was eternally sad about that.

[trien27]

9th September, 36th year of the Republic of China, taken in Jilin Province

: 9th September 36th year of the republic = 36 + 1911 = September 9, 1947.

The Republic of China was established on October 10, 1911. The first year is 1912.

Edited April 1, 2009 at 11:36 PM by trien27
additional information

[trien27]

7. 風凌渡頭，落日圓 The wind approaches the ferry wharf, the sinking sun is rounded. 伴落日(?) Accompanying the sun.

The character in question is: 圓 which should be at the end of 伴落日, making it 伴落日圓. 落日 = The setting sun. 伴落日圓. = The semi-circular setting sun?

Edited April 1, 2009 at 11:53 PM by trien27
additional information